October Wish List

We made it to Friday! I felt like I had already worked a full week by 2PM yesterday, anyone else? I just wanted to pop in quickly to share a few essentials on my wish list right now! It's hard for me to find brown boots that I like, but I am obsessed with this pony-brown suede pair—how cute would they be with this striped dress and leopard pouch?! I'm also starting to think about sweaters for fall and pops of velvet (so fun with denim!)—and a metallic belt is such a great flash of fun with any outfit. A LOT of this is 30% off from J.Crew through TONIGHT only, so shop fast!

Our kickball team got beat 23-3 last night under the lights (it was brutal, but then it was hilarious) and Chris & I have a wedding on Saturday, so we're planning to lay low tonight and watch The Big Sick. I hope you have a great weekend!

Skinny Metallic Belt | Leather & Calf Hair Pouch | Sequin Cardigan 
Striped Turtleneck Dress | Velvet Cami | Suede Bow Pumps | Suede Ankle Boots
Velvet Hair Tie (4 colors) | Rollneck™ Sweater | Off-Shoulder Sweater

Fall Bucket List + 3 Must-Have Topcoats

OK, fall appeared OVERNIGHT. It's so disarming to suddenly see crunchy orange and red leaves swirling around the streets! It's bittersweet to move on from sleeveless tops and 9PM sunsets. But fall brings slow cooker chili, a general sense of coziness (give me all the candles)—and really pretty coats. I deffffinitely do not need another wool coat, but I'm dying over these refined ladylike topcoats that would brighten the sh** out of a dreary day. Ties were trending all summer long and I'm loving how they give these heavier coats a waist, too. They're the perfect thing to throw over your shoulders as you head out into the crisp air to tackle your fall bucket list. Scroll for 5 things I'm penciling in this season.

Wrap Coat in Majestic Purple | Tie-Waist Topcoat in Bright Plum | Daphne Topcoat in Bright Red


TWIN CITIES MARATHON
I have a couple of friends running "the most beautiful urban marathon in America" this Sunday, and I'd love to post up on a patio along the river and watch all the ambitious athletes pounding the pavement of this beautiful city while I sip a mimosa.

LEAF PEEPING
We're spending a weekend near Leech Lake with Chris's extended family in early October—peak season for the leaves (I realize I sound about 85 years old)! Nevertheless, I'm excited for pontoon rides in sweatshirts, overnight oats and late-night card games against the backdrop of a fiery landscape.

IOWA VS. MINNESOTA FOOTBALL GAME
I'm a Hawkeye (go Hawks), my younger sister is a Gopher. The Oct. 28 showdown is a good excuse to hang out now that she lives allll the way in St. Paul—and bond over a friendly rivalry, cheap beer and hot wings while soaking up the campus atmosphere in Dinkytown.

HAUNTED HOUSE
Chris's older sister turns the big 4-0 next month, so we got tickets to the haunted basement (she loves all things spooky). Head out to Aamodt's for apple picking (I want to attempt an apple crisp!) and alllll the autumn things if you prefer PG fun.

PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST
Pick up growlers of seasonal brews and invite your friends over to make jack-o-lanterns and sample all the limited-edition flavors. Strap into some lederhosen and hit up Gasthof's Oktoberfest for the after-party.


Walking through the newly remodeled Minneapolis sculpture garden before it snows (I've never been!) and trying Trapeze, a Champagne bar coming soon from Barbette (how perfect for a special occasion) are a couple more things I'm keeping in mind as we wind through the season. What's on your list for fall? 

Camo Jacket + Culotte Jumpsuit

Happy Monday! How was your weekend? It was 90º in Minneapolis for the first day of fall, so while I was anticipating trying Starbucks' new maple pecan latte, INSTEAD—Chris and I last-minute decided to take off early and head up to his sister's for one last day at the lake (the hot drinks can wait). After a couple of hours on the boat, we drove into town for dinner at the local Mexican restaurant, then sat around the fire until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. Basically, my ideal day. 

It's back to reality today, and I'm sharing two fall essentials you can wear now and will love all season long: a camo jacket and a culotte jumpsuit. Think of a camo jacket as the cooler, edgier version of your denim jacket—you can wear it all the same places and it's truly a neutral. Everyone at my office has one. Mine is almost as lightweight as a shirt, so it's easy to layer onto any outfit and doesn't feel overbearing or bulky when you're trying to GSD. A link to my exact jacket is at the bottom of this post, and here are 5 more must-have styles! 

Also, if you haven't started wearing jumpsuits like jeans, get on board, girl. I could wear one every day (working on that). They're so effortlessly stylish—making them great for casual weekends and special occasions alike, and they're the perfect thing to wear under a cool fashion jacket. I love this breezy J.Crew version, but with colder days around the corner, you may not want to invest in summery linen. Here are 10 culotte jumpsuits you can wear now with heels and into winter with ankle boots (can.not.wait)!

OUTFIT DETAILS
Hair Ribbon: mine is literally from a craft store (this is a great option, too)
Sunglasses: old, Madewell (similar styles here) | Camo Jacket | Jumpsuit | Tote Bag (note: I really wanted a luxurious, real leather bag, but am really liking this faux alternative as I try to save more money! I'm finding that expensive bags aren't where I want to invest.) | Denim Heels

5 Things Making Me Happy This Week

Last Sunday I woke up, spent an hour at the gym and ran a few errands before the Vikings 12 PM kickoff. Productive, with all the makings of a low-key and content day. But Chris called me out, saying I seemed quiet and asking what was bothering me. Nothing was wrong. I think not having anything particular planned for the day and then rolling right into the work week was making me feel BLAH. Like I was just waiting for Monday to arrive (dun dun dun). 

I started planning my fall bucket list (coming soon!)—a fun way to get more out of the season and, yes, avoid some empty Sundays—and it ironically inspired me to write down the simple things making me happy right now. It's easy to get caught up in the swirl of the routine and glaze over your perfect morning cup of coffee, but if you can't enjoy what's happening on the sidelines of the bucket list stuff, something's not right! Here are 5 little highs from my week! 

THE DAILY

a daily (!) 20-minute news podcast from The New York Times that dives a little deeper into need-to-know topics than GMA. I can usually get through an episode driving to and from work (easy!) and it makes me feel a lot more informed. 

AMERICAN HORROR STORY

Chris and I loooooved Ozark on Netflix, and AHS is satisfying our thirst for another thriller. Lame as it may sound, it's fun to have a really good show to snuggle up with mid-week. 

LATTES AT HOME 

I survived on black coffee for the last few months and recently rediscovered how delicious a cappuccino or latte from my Keurig can be—just the thing for chilly fall mornings. Sorry, Folgers.

ADULTING

Checked doctor and dentist appointments off my list! There's a lot I don't understand about insurance and benefits, but at least I'm doing the basic check-ups! 

BIRDS OF PARADISE

The Aveda F/W hair color & makeup collection went live on Monday!!!!! (So far I only see the makeup portion online, but I'm planning to meet a former coworker this week to pick up a copy of the look book.) This was my biggest project while I worked there. First of all, I'm proud of myself for working and earning my way into a brand like Aveda. Second, for then navigating the difficult territory this launch involved: i.e. writing quotes designed to inspire and intrigue professional stylists, and then articulating how birds had inspired the artists in creating different hair colors. I spent daysss creating collection name lists, reading through interview transcripts and researching minerals, flowers and plants to create makeup shade names and hair color names. It was Christmastime when the final creative was approved (feels like a lifetime ago!) and it's so fun to finally see it for real, 9 months later!  I'll definitely be swinging by Aveda soon to purchase the collection as a keepsake. 

P.S. This striped Kate Spade shift is also making me pretty happy. It's perfect for these 80º one minute, 60º the next temps, and the options really are endless—I wear it to work with wedges, on weekends with sneakers, and am even considering it for a farmhouse wedding at the end of the month. Kate Spade is usually out of my price range, but I knew I'd get plenty of mileage out of this super versatile style—and had a discount code. Here are a few styles I'd also wear non-stop: knit flounce dress, sleeveless midi (so cute with a leather jacket!), ruffle shift, long-sleeve midi (obsessed!). 

OUTFIT DETAILS 

Dress (old, Kate Spade) | Sunglasses | Crossbody Bag (similar here) 

Sneakers (Superga) | Bandana | Denim Jacket (old, BlankNYC. can't go wrong with this classic style.) 

Weekend Guide: Door County

I finally got around to gathering the photos I took during a bachelorette bash in Door County and wanted to share a quick recap of the weekend! Mary, who hosted the seven of us her aunt's house, has been spending summers in Ephraim for more than 20 years, so I feel like I got to experience the area with a local. Looking back at my photos, I snapped mostly pictures of the goats (and not the girls), but here's at least a taste of the trip! 

I arrived at the cottage late on Friday. The sun was setting as I winded along the picturesque peninsula and I was immediately enamored with the area. It reminded me of Bar Harbor or some idyllic east coast village—but with the friendliness and familiarity of the Northwoods—and Lake Michigan certainly looked big enough to be the Atlantic. 

Mary had an epic local charcuterie board waiting for dinner, and we popped prosecco to toast Katy and kick off the weekend. (Every corner of this stunning house buried in the woods was covered with black and white photos—it was literally bursting with family memories. I made a mental note to model at least one wall in my future home in the same fashion.) Full on prosciutto and olives and almonds, we spent the first night lazily bobbing in the heated outdoor pool (you may have seen it on Insta!).  

Saturday started early with the Door County Creamery tour—highly recommend! We got a tour of the goat farm where the cheese comes from and LOTS o' samples, including gelato! I don't necessarily consider myself a huge animal person, but it was actually fascinating to see the goats up close. I wasn't game to pick up any of the squirmy babies, but did cautiously pet one. :) The morning ended back at the shop and café where a gorgeous farmhouse table was set for lunch on the outdoor patio. There were string lights, my mozzarella sandwich was delicious and it was all perfection. 

One of three male goats on the farm. 

A couple of the babies! 

This cheesemaker in training (she studied at UW-Madison) passed around samples. Goats were constantly jumping on the table—so sprightly! 

Lunch back at the cafe! 

We had an early dinner at The Whistling Swan in Fish Creek, a white tablecloth kind of place and the peninsula's oldest operating inn, before jumping on a haunted pub crawl that evening. We whipped around on a boozy and rowdy trolley, stopping at a handful of bars and resorts where our tour guide (dressed as a priest) would entertain us with the haunted lore of that particular locale, many looking unchanged since 1970. I had my first shotski—I know, what took me so long?—and it was a super fun way to try a few different bars, all exactly what you would expect for small-town Wisconsin: lots of Packers memorabilia and hunting regalia cluttering the wood-planked walls. Loved every second. 

After such an indulgent Saturday, we all needed to move our bodies a bit on Sunday. We managed a light hike that included a great overlook of the lake, but I forgot to pack any kind of activewear, so I didn't last long in Mary's aunt's Seavees (major. blisters.). After an hour or so, some of us broke off to shop in Sister Bay. I was very tempted by all the rustic cabin decor, but resisted buying anything, having no real need for mini Adirondack chairs or On Lake Time cocktail tumblers. 

We lounged in the pool again as the sun set (gorgeous!) and Mary whipped up a gourmet grilled feast for dinner at the house. We dropped into Wilson's for ice cream, then spent the rest of the evening playing Cards Against Humanity with wine and sangria. 

Swimsuit from J.Crew. I'm obsessed with their one-pieces!  

(I mean, can you believe this pool? And view?!)

We all had long drives home the next day, and I hit the road back to Minneapolis pretty early on Monday morning (listening to How I Built This the whole way). There's so much more we could've done in Door County (kayaking, sailing, golfing, wineries, orchards), but our weekend was the perfect mix of tourism/activity and laying low. I love Wisconsin, and I'm so glad I was able to see this part of it and celebrate this lovely bride-to be! Can't wait to do it again at her October wedding! 

Since then, Chris and I have had a couple of quiet weekends! We saw IT, hit the farmers market for the first time this summer (I made BLTs), hung out at the NE food truck fair (loved the empanadas), saw Oh Wonder at First Ave, spent an evening playing board games with friends on Cedar Lake in Annandale, and have been watching a lot of football (we did a fantasy draft with my sisters! Chris has been very generous about helping me figure it all out. Not pleased about Jordy Nelson's potential injury).

I actually have some new outfit posts coming your way this week, so stop back here soon! Have a great Monday!